Free Response - Peter Ikeda

In class we spend some time talking about Mount Rainier and how it's very spiritual. The pictures of the mountain, specifically the lake, really called out to me. I was drawn to the placidity and beauty of the lake, really feeling a spiritual connection to the mountain. I can't explain the feeling I just felt a spiritual calling that drew me in as we kept discussing it. It was so strange but it inspired me to plan an actual trip with my friend Kayla. We spent an entire night mapping out the trip, planning funds for gas, stops and who all would come. The trip consists of 2 full weeks to travel to Washington, climb the mountain to the lake and then drive home. We incorporated our closest group of friends from last year, our 2 rooms and roommates, on the trip making it a true adventure. Walking up the mountain with my best friends makes me think of the communitas, simple communities of people where social class and other norms are disregarded for the sake of a universal connection. I'm excited to see what happens on this trail and if the spiritual connection I felt while looking and hearing about the mountain actually happens!